


Spotted shards and broken hearts

by bumpy_bug



Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-01-30
Updated: 2019-03-10
Packaged: 2019-10-19 13:48:52
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 13
Words: 7,096
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17602517
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bumpy_bug/pseuds/bumpy_bug
Summary: Everything happens in a blur. A blur of purple, red and black. Her vision gets clouded with tears and a wave of nausea fills her. The only thing that registers in her mind is that feeling of emptiness, like a part of her soul was ripped away from her, as she stares at the ashen shards on the floor. All she sees is the look of guilt on her partner's face before succumbing to the tears threatening to fall.Things were not looking good.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This is my first fanfic so I’m sorry if it’s not too good, although I hope it’ll improve as I go on.  
> This first chapter is a bit slow but I promise it’ll pick up ;)  
> Also, feel free to leave comments! Enjoy! :3

CHAPTER 1:

 

Marinette was sitting at her desk, calm on the outside but freaking out inside. Adrien was still standing at the front of the classroom, smiling and answering the class’s questions. He’d just announced, to everyone’s surprise, that his father had let him host his birthday party at his house. 

Ignoring the excited chatter of her classmates’ conversations, Marinette shook her head dazedly. How could she forget her crush’s birthday? She knew his timetable and schedule; she’d practically stalked him for a year! Yet she’d forgot his BIRTHDAY?! 

Gently banging her head on the desk, she failed to notice Adrien until he sat in front of her and poked her shoulder. Marinette’s head shot up and she turned a bright red. “Are you okay?” He asked with a frown. This is what she loved about Adrien- he was so caring and he loved everyone, even Chloé…

Coming to her senses, the dark-haired girl managed to stutter out a response. This resulted in an uncertain smile from Adrien and a strict telling off from the teacher. Marinette sighed and reluctantly swapped the stress of finding Adrien a perfect present for the stress of quantum physics.

•••

Later that night, Alya lay on Marinette’s chaise lounge eating macarons. They were bouncing ideas for Adrien’s gift off each other and although they’d been at it for hours (with regular breaks for sweet treats from the bakery downstairs), Marinette still hadn’t found a perfect idea. 

She had to admit, her morale was running dangerously low, despite all the sugar in her bloodstream. Staring at the posters of Adrien on her wall, Marinette sighed deeply and swung herself around on her swivel chair. “It’s pointless.” She said dejectedly. 

“Hold up!” Alya shouted excitedly. “Girl, you should invite him to the movies! Maybe as more than friends…” Alya wiggles her eyebrows to prove her point. “N-no!” Marinette stammered, a deep red blush rising up her cheeks. “You know I can’t do that! I’ll collapse!”

“Uh-um-I-movies-t-togeth-ahh!” Alya snorted. “Hey!” Marinette pushed her off the chaise lounge. Even though they were bestest of friends, Alya could be extremely annoying sometimes, especially when it came to Adrien. They both ended up in hysterics for what seemed like forever, clutching at their sides and trying to breathe. 

Eventually, Alya checked her phone, gasped and hastily picked herself off the floor. “Sorry Mari, gotta split. Babysitting duty!” She rolled her eyes, picked up he bag, waved goodbye and took off down the ladders leading to the bakery downstairs. Marinette leaned back in her chair and groaned. She had a lot of work to do before Adrien’s party next week.

•••


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for the positive feedback and all the kudos! It makes my day :D  
> New chapter and it was so fun to write, thinking of a villain and their name is so hard so I hope it’s okay. Enjoy!

CHAPTER 2:

 

Madame Grise hated traffic. Her hands clutched at the steering wheel of her car, turning them white. It had taken over an hour to leave the house- her babysitter, Alya Césaire, had shown up half an hour late (apparently she had lost track of time while hanging out with that baker’s daughter) and then little Sophié had thrown one of her tantrums. 

Now she was stuck in a never-ending line of cars. Her phone interrupted the misery coursing through her veins, buzzing with an incoming call. Madame Grise took a shaky breath, preparing herself. She pressed the button and held the phone to her ear. This was a mistake; her boss was incredibly angry.

She checked her watch. Quickly mumbling about her predicament, she ended the call and groaned. She needed coffee. Resting her head on the steering wheel, she failed to notice the deep purple butterfly flap through the open window and into her watch.

•••

There was a knock on the window. Marinette turned around from her desk and gasped. Chat Noir was hanging outside with a smirk on his face. He motioned for her to open the hatch leading to her balcony and she did so with a frown. Why was Chat Noir at her house? Had he discovered her identity? That would be disastrous! 

She could feel herself starting to breathe heavily- she wasn’t ready for this yet! She saw a blonde head poke through the opening. Chat gave her a cheeky smile and wink. “Marinette, right?” She nodded slowly. “Yeah, I remember rescuing you from the evillustrator.”

Marinette stifled a groan. Actually, she’d saved him.   
“There’s an akumatised victim heading straight for your house- you might want to get out of here,” he said, “she seems to want to destroy you. Something about causing a babysitter to be late?” Oops.

“I can give you a lift?” Chat Noir asked with a wink. Marinette smirked.  
“It’s okay, kit- I mean, Chat Noir. I’m perfectly capable!” He shrugged and retreated. By the time she poked her head out into the air, he was a speck on the horizon. She smiled affectionately. “Tikki, spots on!”

•••

Ladybug vaulted across the rooftops of Paris. If she wasn’t in a rush to fight an akuma, she would relish the feeling of wind in her face, the sights of her city from the air. The villain was in front of her- a blur of grey and orange, hardly resembling a person at all. 

As Ladybug landed next to her partner, he turned to face her. His normally jokey manner had disappeared and he was uncharacteristically serious. “She’s called Miss Aerodynamic. I can’t seem to keep her in one place long enough to attack her!” He said. Ladybug nodded. She’d noticed the absence of Chat Noir’s usual puns and she had to admit, it was quite disconcerting. Hawkmoth’s new victim seemed fairly powerful.

Allowing her time to activate her lucky charm, Chat began to distract Miss Aerodynamic, sticking to their usual routine. However, the villain had seemingly disappeared. Looking around slowly, he just heard Ladybug shout “CHAT! Look out!” before everything turned black.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter was so hard to make due to the lucky charm and villain’s powers. Marichat alert! ;)

CHAPTER 3:

 

Miss Aerodynamic was glittering around Chat Noir, gradually moving in, about to take his miraculous. Ladybug needed to help home but she was frozen in shock. No akuma had ever caused serious injury to her or her partner before. Yet here Chat was- lying on the rooftop, unconscious. 

Seeing the akumatised victim reaching out to Chat’s hand, she noticed that the victim was finally still in the air. The perfect opportunity. She swung her sporty yo-yo into the air, letting the tiny pink ladybugs place a jar of dark brown substance in her hands. Opening the lid hastily, she sniffed the contents and smiled. She knew what to do.

“Hey! Slowcoach!” She yelled. Miss Aerodynamic turned to face the spotty hero and frowned angrily. A magical purple mask appeared around her face and she nodded. The villain ran towards her. Ladybug stood her ground and grinned. At the last minute, she threw the contents of the jar towards Miss Aerodynamic’s feet.

The victim was shocked and fell forwards, landing with an thump. Her feet were completely covered in the sticky brown mess and as much as she tried, she could not remove her feet. Ladybug laughed and shook her head. “Treacle. Everyone knows how sticky it is!” 

Eyes travelling over the akumatised villain’s attire, she had her first real sight of the victim. Unlike her first thoughts, the outfit was all black with red and orange stripes down her legs, in the shape of lightning bolts. 

On her wrist was a golden watch with a large knob on the side. Ladybug’s eyes locked upon it almost straight away and she reached for it. Grabbing her wrist, she stood just out of the villain’s reach. Ladybug took the watch and crushed it in her fist.

•••

Marinette paced across her bedroom floor. Despite Tikki’s soothing words, she buried her head in her hands and sighed with regret. She glanced over to her chaise lounge where Chat Noir lay. Luckily, it seemed the time left until his detransformation had frozen- perhaps a side effect of him being unconscious.

Although she knew he wouldn’t accidentally reveal his identity to her, this did nothing to calm her nerves. There were so many things that could go wrong, but she had to save Chat somehow. Marinette collapses in her chair and tried to banish the negative thoughts coursing through her mind. 

One however, refused to leave: what if he didn’t wake up? Ever? Even though it was unlikely, nothing like this had ever happened before. Who knew what could happen when magic is involved? 

Feeling herself starting to breathe heavily, she almost threw herself out of the chair in haste. She grabbed his wrist frantically, testing for a pulse. There was a faint heartbeat (she thought) but she had to be sure. 

Marinette leaned forward, ready to listen for his breathing. It was then that Chat Noir woke with a start. He rose quickly and as he did, he caught Marinette’s lips with his.


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So... I don’t want to say anything, I just want you to read this chapter. I think it’s my favourite chapter so far. Also, how is it so easy to write Marichat? ;)

CHAPTER 4:

 

Chat Noir pulled away from Marinette and covered his unwelcome blush with a grin and wink. “If you wanted me that desperately, you could have said!”  
Marinette scrambled away from the leather-clad hero and pouted. “In you dreams, kitty cat!” She huffed, hopefully sounding more confident than she felt. 

She watched as Chat rubbed his head and groaned as his fingers drew away with sticky, deep red blood on them. “What happened?”  
“Miss Aerodynamic hit you with her magic,” Marinette explained carefully, “And you were unconscious for about fifteen minutes!” 

He nodded slowly and then suddenly sat up with a worried expression. “Is Ladybug okay?” He asked urgently. Marinette, for the first time, saw just how much Chat Noir was devoted to Ladybug. He’d ended up in a stranger’s house with a bang to the head, and yet he still worried about her.

“She’s fine, I think. She defeated the villain and then flew off. It didn’t look like she was injured.” A relieved expression conquered his face and he smiled gratefully. “And how did I end up here?” He questioned. “I-um-Ladybug gave you to me to look after because-uh- I was just there and she-um-had to detransform!”

As if reminded, Chat’s ring beeped. “Do you mind?” He asked cautiously. Marinette left with a nod and she sat, deep in thought, as she saw a flash of green light through the gap of her hatch.

•••

They stood on her balcony, Marinette still fuming. Of course Chat Noirhad seen her extensive range of posters of Adrien. She cringed once again as she remembered his shocked face and then his deep chuckle. Feeling his leather-gloved hand grip hers, she snapped out of her flashback. There was a faint blush on her cheeks due to her thoughts of Adrien and cursed herself. He wasn’t even here and she was blushing over him! 

Marinette sighed and smiled up at Chat. “Stay safe, okay?” He nodded and moved to extend his baton. However, he had second thoughts and turned back to her. “Thank you.” He said. “And you’re amazing.” He added with a smile as he laid his hands on her shoulders. 

Marinette felt her blush deepen as she gazed into his green eyes. She mentally kicked herself for this- Chat Noir has never made her blush before. She felt herself stiffen as he leaned his head towards hers, and then his lips were brushing against hers in a soft kiss.

Her thoughts stopped completely as she involuntarily melted into his arms. All of a sudden, he was gone and she felt the cool breeze against her face as she watched him fly over the Paris skyline.


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So this chapter’s a bit slow and it’s mostly just feelings and all that sappy stuff which I’m not too good at :( anyways, enjoy!

CHAPTER 5:

 

Adrien groaned again and rolled over in his bed, shoving his head into his pillow. This earned an indignant squeak from Plagg, who had been squished by his blankets.

“Sorry Plagg.” Came his muffled voice.  
“Come on kid!” Plagg sighed. “It was just a kiss. I kiss a new piece of cheese every day!” Adrien sat up and glared at his kwami.

“You don’t understand!” He cried. “I don’t know why I did it… I like Ladybug, not Marinette! It’s just, Marinette was behaving so differently to when she’s around me as, well, me. She kind of reminded me of Ladybug…”

Adrien sighed wistfully. It was true- Marinette couldn’t string a sentence together when around him and it made him think she didn’t like him. But those posters… He fell backwards into his bed and tried to get to sleep, although he knew he’d be awake for hours due to the thoughts dominating his head. 

•••

Marinette his her head in her hands. She’d gotten hardly any sleep last night and when she had, her alarm had woken her up after just a few hours. It must be fairly obvious as Alya had noticed within a second of seeing her. Hopefully there wouldn’t be another akuma attack for a while. At least she’d sorted out her feelings towards her partner. 

How did she feel about Chat Noir anyway? She’d never liked him in that way before, but she supposed she’d never really thought about it…

She looked up at Adrien’s voice. He was looking at her with a worried expression, which was slightly intense. Marinette squirmed under his gaze and mumbled that she was fine. Hesitantly, he sat down and patted her shoulder. She absently placed a hand on her shoulder where he he’d touched her and Alya sniggered. 

Once again, she propped her head in her hands and squeezed her eyes shut. She’d had a crush on Adrien for years and it seemed it hadn’t disappeared- she’d just seen it first hand. So why was she feeling butterflies thinking about Chat Noir? Her thoughts were interrupted as a scream echoed through the classroom. Marinette grabbed her purse and sighed. Where was the luck magic when she needed it?

•••

Ladybug strolled over to Chat Noir, who was kneeling beside the victim. It had been an easy battle, mostly down to fact that the person akumatised was a young boy with no hearing. Although she should be glad, Ladybug was fidgety and tense. She was sure that Hawkmoth was up to something- he wouldn’t have purposefully picked an incredibly easy victim. 

Yet for some reason, Chat seemed off. Instead of celebrating the victory with their usual fist bump, he was solemn and serious. She knew something was up because he hadn’t cracked a cat joke for the entire battle. Tapping her partner on the shoulder, Ladybug beckoned for him follow her out of earshot of the paparazzi.

“What’s wrong?” She questioned with a frown. Chat squirmed under her gaze. He through about what would happen if he told Ladybug about everything. Sure, she’d never shown interest in his shameless flirting, but what if he was throwing away his only chance at making things work?

Meanwhile, Ladybug was facing her own dilemmas. She had found herself staring at Chat Noir’s lips as he paused and she felt a slight tingle on her own as she remembered her kiss. His voice aroused her and she blinked forcefully. What was she doing?

“It’s just…” he paused.   
“It’s nothing, I’m just just not feeling well!” He rushed. He extended his baton, leaving Ladybug standing in the alley.


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Can we all agree that Ladrien is the cutest? ;)

CHAPTER 6:

 

Landing in the park, Ladybug sank onto a bench thoughtfully. Chat Noir was acting strange: she’d known him for long enough to know that something was wrong. She’d been searching for him for the past fifteen minutes so she supposed he’d returned to his civilian self. 

Standing up with a sigh, she decided to return to school; luckily it was lunch break so it wouldn’t be too suspicious.

She paused, cocking her head. Yes, there it was again-the sound of twigs snapping. Automatically, she crouched into a defence stance, turning towards the sound. A dark shadow appeared between the trees and Ladybug stiffened, heart thudding. The last thing she needed was another akuma attack. 

Suddenly, she sprang forwards, grabbing hold of their arms. She kneed then in the stomach and they collapsed, loudly gasping for breath. Landing ontop of them, she pinned down their arms and grinned with satisfaction. “Ladybug!” Adrien panted. “Geroff me!”

Wait, Adrien?

•••

Ladybug scrambled off him, her cheeks burning with heat. “Adrien! Sorry!” She offered him a hand to help him up and he took it gratefully. “H-how did you know my name?” Adrien wheezed. 

“Oh, you wouldn’t believe how many posters of you are in my ro- I mean, in the streets of Paris!” Ladybug chuckled nervously. Adrien nodded and glanced down. Noticing that his hand was still clutching Ladybug’s, he quickly retrieved it to rub the back of his neck self-consciously. 

He felt a blush rise up his cheeks and he looked up at her from under his eyelashes. She was rubbing her hand and… was that a blush? It was hard to tell under the mask, but he was sure it was.

“Can we talk?” He asked hesitantly.  
“Of course!” She nodded and led him to a bench out of sight of the main path.

•••

Ladybug was hyper aware of Adrien’s leg brushing against hers. The touch sent shivers through her body and she could feel the warmth through her suit. Shaking her head slightly, she tried to focus on his words. His bright green eyes were clouded with emotion. 

“Well, I- there’s this girl,” he coughed and his eyes travelled up to hers before returning to the ground. “And I love her with all my heart. But, well, I kinda, um-“  
Ladybug nodded encouragingly, despite the sinking feeling in her stomach. Adrien loves someone? Well, that was her chances out the window.

“IkissedsomeoneelsewhoIkindalikeandnowI’mscaredthatshe’sgonnahateme!” He rushed, scrunching his eyes in guilt. Ladybug laughed hesitantly, hoping he didn’t hear the sadness in her voice. “I’m sure she won’t mind!” She advised. “Telling her now will be better than her finding out later via someone else.”

“Thanks.” He said. She stood up and took her spotty yo-yo off her hip.  
“Wait!” Adrien yelled, grabbing her hand. She turned to face him, a frown on her face. “The person I kissed, it was…” a deep breath. “Marinette Dupain-Cheng.” Ladybug froze. 

“No, forget I said anything, you probably won’t know her.” He shook his head and smiled. “It’s fine, sorry to bother you. I’ll tell her, I promise!”

She extended her yo-yo and flung herself into the sky without saying goodbye. She was too confused for farewells.


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wow, this is a short chapter! Once again it’s all feelings and stuff. Enjoy :)

CHAPTER 7:

 

Marinette dropped her transformation and collapsed onto her bed. What just happened? She buried her face in her hands and shook her head, as if it could dislodge all the crazy thoughts racing through her mind.

She should be glad that Adrien was Chat Noir, right? Then a thought struck her. “Tikki! Adrien’s seen my posters!”  
Tikki giggled and took another bite out of her chocolate chip cookie. “I’m sure things will work out!” She said.

Marinette laughed bitterly. “How did I not realise Adrien is Chat Noir? It sounds so obvious now- they both have blond hair and green eyes; Adrien always runs of when there’s an akuma! It’s just, their personalities are so different. Adrien’s shy and sweet, but Chat’s so cocky and flirtatious… 

Marinette slapped a hand to her forehead and groaned. “Adrien’s been flirting with me and I’ve been blanking him!” She fell back onto her bed and pulled her fluffy cat pillow to her chest. “I can’t believe it’s Adrien who is crazy about me! Well, Ladybug at least!” And with that, she fell into a happy, dreamless sleep.

•••

The next day at school, everyone noticed the happy bubble surrounding Marinette. When she walked into class a whole minute early, she barely noticed her classmates’ gaping faces. She slid into her chair and took out her books with a grin on her face. 

She spent the whole morning of lessons staring happily at the back of Adrien’s head (even more than usual). 

At lunch, she managed to ask Adrien about their science project without stuttering or turning red. It was so much easier to be around him now that she knew he was her partner and close friend. 

She noticed Alya’s surprised and questioning looks but decided to ignore them for the time being, or at least until she had a decent excuse for her peculiar behaviour. 

Throughout the day, she picked up on small characteristics that helped push away her doubts: his confident stance; the way his green eyes flashed when Chloé was being especially snarky; his reluctance to hurt anyone- all of which she saw in Chat Noir too.

No one could ruin her mood, not even Chloé. Adrien liked Ladybug, now she just had to make him like Marinette too!


	8. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I love cliffhangers :)

CHAPTER 8:

 

Marinette stood on her balcony a week later. She had been avoiding patrol by claiming a leg injury because she was afraid that Chat Noir would notice something was wrong. 

How could she act normal when she knew it was Adrien under that mask?

She visibly shuddered as she thought that it was Adrien who had protected her, taken hits for her and flirted with her. He had been knocked unconscious and woken up in her room. 

A thought struck her and she blushed furiously and brought a hand to her heart. In all her panic, she’d forgotten one important fact. Tikki flew to hover in front of Marinette with concern. “What’s wrong?” She asked.

The dark-haired girl swooned and collapsed into the railings. She looked up at the stars and laughed. “Tikki, I’ve kissed Adrien! Twice!” There was a warm, fuzzy feeling in her chest as she thought back to her second kiss with Chat Noir- Adrien- the one that happened here, on her balcony. 

She stood up and shouted “Tikki, spots on!” As the pink magic surrounded her and she transformed into the infamous spotty hero, she felt emboldened. Maybe she could face patrol tonight. 

•••

Chat Noir swung his feet and sighed. He took in the amazing view of Paris at night but nothing could raise his spirits. He felt the absence of his partner and he felt lonely without his Lady by his side.

Although she had called him to explain her injury, he had the feeling she was avoiding him. Hopefully it wasn’t because she found out about the kiss- he had wanted to tell her himself. He was so absorbed in his thoughts that he failed to notice the familiar spots behind him. 

Ladybug slowly crouched down and then leapt towards Chat Noir with a grin on her face. “Aaaarrrrrgggghhhh!” He screamed as she landed on top of him, pushing him to the ground.

It turned out she had underestimated her partner’s reflexes as he elbowed her in the stomach. He used this advantage to pin her arms behind her back and land on top of her. “Ladybug!” He cried as he realised his mistake. He winked, recovering his charm. “Look what the cat dragged in!” 

Ladybug huffed and rolled her eyes, but the proximity was causing her skin to heat up as she thought back to the kisses they had shared. “So, why were y-“ Chat began, before he was interrupted by a scream. He sighed and extended a hand to Ladybug.

•••

From their hiding position on a nearby rooftop, Ladybug and Chat Noir surveyed the scene before them. The victim of the latest akuma was walking through the streets below. She wore a short dress and was holding an ornate pocket mirror. 

She admired her reflection before turning it to face a frightened bystander. “I am Mirror Princess, the fairest of them all! At least I will be when all of you have disappeared!” She cackled.

The person she had targeted screamed at the villain’s glare, but was rescued mere moments before the attack by a yo-yo. Mirror Princess screamed with annoyance as she finally noticed Ladybug and Chat Noir.

Lifting the mirror above her head, the villain let it drop over her figure and both vanished. The mirror appeared on the rooftop where the heroes were crouched and Mirror Princess casually stepped out of it and onto the roof. 

“Do you like my teleporting abilities?” She asked sweetly. Chat smiled and replied with “They certainly reflect your personality!” Mirror Princess let out an agitated groan and unexpectedly sent a bolt of power towards Ladybug. 

The spotty hero dived to the side just in time, but her yo-yo was caught by the magic and disappeared. Chat Noir rushed towards the villain, intending to grab the mirror, which was surely where the akuma was hiding. It was important that he got hold of the mirror himself because Ladybug had no defense or lucky charm.

However, Mirror Princess had other ideas. Somersaulting over Chat and his baton, she proceeded to fire a beam of magic towards a helpless Ladybug. The spotty hero was caught unawares and stumbled backwards, barely missing the attack. 

She only noticed how close she was to the edge of the roof when it was too late. Chat Noir watched helplessly in the villain’s grasp and his heart stuttered at what Ladybug shouted next. “ADRIEN!” She yelled. As she fell from the rooftop into the darkness of the night, her eyes widened as she realised she’d just done.


	9. Chapter 9

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It literally took me hours to think of puns for Chat Noir. Why is it so hard???? :( Enjoy!

CHAPTER 9:

Ladybug was faintly aware of letting slip Chat’s identity but all the worry for him was wiped away when she hit the ground with a sickening thud. Despite the protective spandex covering her body, she felt the pain jolting through her body.

Her arm was twisted at a weird angle underneath her and her head felt as if it had been split open. Wincing, she brought a hand to her head and felt the hot blood seeping through her costume.

She distantly heard Chat scream her name and land beside her, but her eyesight was blurry and she couldn’t see his face. His glove-covered hand cupped her cheek and she shivered at the contact. Raising a trembling arm (the one that wasn’t trapped underneath her) and she grabbed his wrist loosely. 

“Go save Paris.” She whispered, as dark spots appeared in her vision. She felt more than saw her partner pause and tried to make her voice sound confident. “I’ll be fine, take care of the akuma.” A solitary tear escaped from her eye and trailed down her cheek before her vision descended into darkness. 

•••

Chat Noir landed on the rooftop with a look of fierceness on his face. Mirror Princess turned to face him. “Sorry to break it to you but your hopes are about to be shattered like a mirror!” He lunged forwards but was sent diving sideways by a beam of power. 

They battled for what seemed like hours but was actually only a few minutes, the black cat with his baton and Mirror Princess with her mirror’s magical powers. Neither landed a blow but Chat could see the villain starting to weaken. 

He grinned and quickened his attacks despite the ache in his muscles. The silver baton landed on her chest and she was flung backwards with a grunt. Her mirror flew into the air and landed on the street below with a smash. 

Chat Noir watched as a small, purple butterfly flapped out of the broken pieces. His attention was drawn away from the mystical insect as sinister, black magic travelled down the victim’s body.

•••

A girl of about seventeen raised a hand to her forehead and blinked slowly. “Where am I?” She asked dazedly. Chat strode over to her and offered his gloved hand. “You were akumatised.” He explained. The girl took his hand, pulled herself up and flung herself into his chest.

“Thanks for saving me! My name’s Alaine. Of course, you’re the famous Chat Noir. I’ve always dreamed of meeting you!” She blinked up at his and smiled sweetly. The hero, however, gently pushed her away and took a step back.

“Look, I’d stay and make sure you’re okay, but my partner needs me.” He said bad turned to walk away. Alaine huffed and crossed her arms. “Are you and Ladybug a thing? Because last time I checked, she keeps rejecting you. Why pick an uninterested snotty brat over me?”

With that, she stormed off, leaving Chat by himself, clenching and unclenching his fists. How dare she insult Ladybug? She reminded Chat of a certain person with a blonde ponytail and designer clothes…

As he extended his baton and jumped down to the road below, Alaine slumped against a wall a few streets away. Small tears dropped down her cheeks. “Why does everyone hate me?” She whispered, emotions clouding her words. 

A purple butterfly which the hero had forgotten about flapped towards a ring that she was twisting around her finger and she welcomed it with a hiccup and a laugh.


	10. Chapter 10

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I feel so bad for Adrien. He’s torn between feeling resentful towards Ladybug for shouting his name but he also knows it’s not her fault really. :( Oh well, he has more stress coming soon (hint) ;) enjoy!

CHAPTER 10:

 

Chat Noir knelt over Ladybug. He gently shook her but she remained unconscious. Skin pale and eyes closed, she lay on the pavement with no movement, although her position looked extremely uncomfortable.

Chat leaned towards her and placed a gentle kiss on her cheek. “Wake up Ladybug. Please.” He whispered in her ear and her eyelids fluttered at his voice. 

The leather-clad hero finally realised what was happening around him. There were dozens of reporters gathered around them and he recognised a few of them- he was no stranger to paparazzi. 

He scooped Ladybug up in his arms, bridal-style, and saluted to the reporters. “Sorry to bug out on you but Ladybug needs to see a doctor.” He winked and grinned. 

He sauntered away and found a quiet alley way to detransform. He knew it was a risk but he really needed advice on what to do with Ladybug as he couldn’t exactly take her to a doctor’s as her identity was on the line. Anyway, if what had happened before was anything to go on, Ladybug wouldn’t be surprised if she saw him detransformed as she already knew his identity.

There was a flash of green light and Adrien was left standing in the silent street. He slightly staggered under the sudden weight of Ladybug without his strength boosting suit. “I don’t suppose you have any cheese?” Plagg asked. 

The black kwami was floating in front of his owner and flinched slightly when Adrien gave him a stare that Gabriel would be proud of. “Plagg, now’s not the time! Ladybug needs my help!” Plagg rolled his eyes and sighed moodily. 

“Fine. I suggest we go to Master Fu. He’ll know what to do. Now can I have some cheese? I’m starving!” Adrien shook his head and adjusted Ladybug in his arms. “Plagg, you have to show me the way. Through the backstreets.” 

Plagg grumbled but led Adrien down the street and around a corner. “Fine, but I deserve ten times the cheese for this. I’m not a slave you know…” Adrien just sighed and blocked out Plagg’s moaning.

•••

Meanwhile, Alaine stood on a rooftop, the wind buffeting her villain’s attire. She felt more powerful than she had before and she enjoyed the tingling of magic in her fingertips. Hawkmoth’s voice seeped into her mind as she looked at the city lying beneath her. 

“Mirror Queen, instead of making people disappear, they will now down to you, the rightful queen of Paris!” The newly crowned Mirror Queen smiles evilly. She was enjoying the new upgrade. “Yes, Hawkmoth!” She hissed, before leaping through the city in search of Chat Noir and his stupid Ladybug.

•••

“Thankfully, the bone is only fractured which I can fix with magic.” Master Fu explained, exiting the room with Plagg to find some of his herbs for Ladybug’s medicine. Adrien was inspecting one of the guardian’s books. He poured over the images of other superheroes and their costumes. 

His eyes caught on a particular superhero on the last filled page, their powers based on a peacock by the look of their costume. Her dress was spectacular: the short, flowy skirt was made of peacock feathers in purples, blues and greens and the bodice was tight-fitting satin. 

She held a fan in her hand and she had a confident stance. Adrien’s eyes were drawn to her face- she had blonde hair and striking green eyes, much like his own. Her face seemed so familiar…

“Adrien?” He turned around and saw Ladybug struggling to sit up. Her eyes were unfocused and her voice was weak, barely a whisper. “I-I’m sorry about y-your identity.” 

“It’s fine.” He lies as he ran towards her and enveloped her in a warm hug. She winced and he let go of her with haste. He’d forgotten about her arm.

Master Fu returned with Plagg in tow. Both heroes watched with curiosity as he chopped up some herbs and mixed them with a pinch of powder while chanting a low, ominous tune. He took Ladybug’s arm gently and paused. “I need you to detransform for this to work.” He said.

Suddenly, there was a scream: faint, but still loud enough to hear. “Already?” Questioned Adrien. Ladybug opened her mouth to berate him but he had already grabbed Plagg and ran out of the room. 

She tried to stand up but Master Fu pushed her back down and shook his head. Sighing, she detransformed and hoped that Chat/Adrien would be okay without her.


	11. Chapter 11

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I changed devices so I'm sorry if there's any changes like chapter length and stuff. :{ Enjoy!

CHAPTER 11:

Chat Noir ran through the streets, following the screams that sent shivers down his spine. He turned a corner and came face to face with a familiar villain. “Mirror Princess?” he called as she laughed harshly. “That’s Mirror Queen to you! And I see you’re foolish enough to have fallen straight into my trap!” Chat tensed as Mirror Queen raised her fingers but was too late to dodge as her ropes of magic wrapped around his body. He couldn’t move his hands but he kept a firm grip on his baton anyway.

It seemed her powers had become stronger and now she could use magic just with her hands. He had to admit, things were not looking too good for him. “I’m afraid I can’t fight you right now, I’m a bit tied up!” Chat Noir used the cover of his joke to search Mirror Queen’s attire: it was obvious that she didn’t have a mirror on her body this time.

He couldn’t see anything that stood out, though there was a large, golden ring on her finger that looked almost magical. Chat’s eyes caught on it and he nodded to himself- he was sure that was where the akuma was hiding. Now he just needed to break free of the ropes surrounding his body. 

***

Ladybug landed in an empty street and peered around the corner. She watched Chat as he fought the villain, who looked strangely familiar. She felt a flutter of anxiety as he used his baton to block hits of magic from the villain. Knowing that it was Adrien under the mask made her think twice about how dangerous life as a superhero was: she didn’t want him to be hurt, especially protecting her.

The beep of Chat Noir’s ring could be heard from where Ladybug was standing and it snapped her out of her thoughts. He must have already used his cataclysm so she needed to act quickly. She mentally kicked herself for losing concentration and flung her yo-yo into the air. “Lucky charm!” she shouted. In her hands landed a spotty torch. She glanced around for inspiration and smiled. She knew what she had to do. Ladybug hooked her yo-yo around a lampost and pulled herself into full view of the villain. “Hey!” she yelled as she landed in front of an old, banged up car. “Come get me!” 

The villain turned and snarled at the sight of the spotty hero. “I thought I dealt with you last time.” she growled and ran towards the hero. Ladybug scrunched her nose in confusion as she saw the villain’s face. “Mirror Princess?” she asked. The villain chose to ignore her comment and reached out to her enemy. Chat began to rush towards his partner but Ladybug nodded towards him; a sign that she knew what she was doing. 

***

Ladybug stepped to the side to reveal the car’s side mirror. Mirror queen paused to admire her reflection as the vain person she was. The hero reached for the torch and the villain was so absorbed in her reflection that she didn’t notice. Ladybug turned the torch on with a flick and bit her lip with concentration. She moved it around slowly and grinned triumphantly when she finally got the right angle. Mirror Queen screamed as the torch’s light reflected into her eyes, blinding her. 

Ladybug twirled her yo-yo and the villain was left tangled in the string, still fumbling around with hands cupped over her eyes. Chat Noir darted forwards and slipped the ring off her finger. He dropped it on the ground and stamped on it. There was a crack and a small, purple butterfly fluttered out of the remnants. Ladybug let her yo-yo go slack as Mirror queen was detransformed to her civilian self. 

Chat’s ring beeped it’s last warning and he used his baton to rush away after a hasty goodbye. The spotty hero felt a tug of affection in her chest as she watched him go. This feeling was different to how she felt towards Adrien before- it was unknown and kind of scary. All Ladybug knew was that she hoped she hadn’t ruined all her chances when she fell from that rooftop.


	12. Chapter 12

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Some more Marichat for you guys.;) Also, I'm sorry I didn't go into detail about the party but it was a bit long-winded and i want to get to the end as soon as possible :)

CHAPTER 12:

 

Marinette stood outside the Agreste mansion, hands clutching a gift bag and feet shuffling nervously. She self-consciously tucked a strand of hair behind her ear as the enormous iron gates opened slowly. Stepping through the opening, she walked straight into Adrien. Her bag dropped to the floor and she stumbled backwards. Before she could fall to the ground, Adrien grabbed her hand and pulled her back to her feet. Unfortunately, he pulled too hard and both ended sprawled on the floor.

Adrien landed with a thump on his back and Marinette fell on top of him. She blushed deeply and scrambled up, mumbling apologies. She extended her hand and he took it gratefully. Even though she now knew that Adrien was in fact the cool and flirtatious Chat Noir, Marinette still couldn’t get over her feelings, if anything they had become even stronger since she found out. 

As she was helping Adrien to his feet, Alya made her appearance, gasping at the sight in front of her. “What is happening here?” she cried, noticing her friend’s entwined hands. Adrien and Marinette both blushed and hastily withdrew, turning to face what they were sure was going to be a heated debate about their love lives. Both sighed audibly as the ameteur reporter grabbed them by their t-shirts and dragged them into the mansion. Marinette only just managed to pick up Adrien’s present before being bustled away by her supposed friend.

***

That evening, Marinette stood on her balcony, the light breeze ruffling her loose hair. The party had been almost enjoyable after Alya’s heated argument about their ‘secret relationship’. She’d been equally mortified and thankful as she imagined her and Adrien actually in a relationship, but of course that was never going to happen. If she thought Adrien was out of her league before, it was nothing compared to knowing he was Chat Noir: now she had absolutely no chance. A quiet thump made her turn around and she gasped when she noticed Chat hiding in the shadows. 

“Have you been thinking about me?” he asked with a smirk. She rolled her eyes and tried to ignore the blush that had appeared on her face. “No.” she lied. He didn’t need to know that he was constantly on her mind. Chat stepped into the moonlight and she noticed his hand was rubbing against the back of his neck. “I was just on my way to patrol and I thought I’d drop by. I wasn’t intending to come here, I swear.” His nervous hand gestures exposed the truth but Marinette brushed it off.

Before she could say anything, Chat Noir had walked up to her and clasped her hand in his gloved one. “I’m just going to say this.” He licked his lips and continued. “I can’t stop thinking about you.” She gasped as he brought his hand up to cup her cheek and a warm tingle spread through her body. Adrien had been thinking about her? Chat took a deep breath. “I think I’m falling for you.” he whispered. Marinette’s brain short-circuited as he leaned in and gently pressed his lips against hers. 

***

Her arms snaked around his neck as they kissed. It was just like the last one- sweet, carefree and slightly enticing. When Chat pulled away, the cold air hit her lips like ice. She looked up at him through her eyelashes and smiled a little as she saw his giddy expression. His vivid green eyes were lit up as he looked at her shyly and he smiled widely. Stepping forward, Marinette wrapped her arms around his waist and buried her face in his chest. He hesitated but gradually returned the hug and noticed for the first time how small Marinette actually was.

With her head pushed against the leather of Chat’s suit, she noticed he smelled faintly of perfume.He saw that Marinette’s hair was not in its usual pigtails and he ran his hand through it thoughtfully. She noticed how soft the leather felt under her touch and she snulled even closer to the person she’d loved for years. Chat Noir smelled pastries and cakes when he hugged Marinette and it made him feel safe.

Reluctantly, she untangled herself from Chat’s arms, feeling the sudden emptiness. “As much as I want you to stay, don’t you have somewhere to be?” she asked. Chat nodded. “Oh...yeah.” He turned to face the balcony railings and took his baton from his belt. He was about to leave when Marinette took hold of his arm to stop him. “I think I’m falling for you too.” she whispered. Chat leaped away with a goofy grin on his face and a warmth in his heart, leaving Marinette in much the same way.


	13. Chapter 13

Just to be clear, this is not a chapter. I just want to say that I won't be continuing this story because I don't think it's good enough anymore. Thanks to all the people who've commented and left kudos and bookmarked it and I'm sorry that I didn't finish the story. Hopefully I'll come back to it in a while, or write another story in the meantime. Thanks for reading and I'm sorry once more. This isn't the last you'll see of me, I'll come back stronger! :)


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